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Rex Tillerson fired: Frequent clashes meant ‘Rexit’ was inevitable

Rhys Blakely, Washington

Why has President Trump chosen to act now?Mr Trump is resetting his foreign policy. He has agreed to high-risk talks with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator, and is said to want a new team around him as he prepares.

He also admitted one of Washington’s worst-kept secrets: he and Mr Tillerson had had a poor relationship. “I think Rex will be much happier now,” Mr Trump said.

Was it a shock?Yes and no. There had been talk of an imminent “Rexit” for months. However, the Trump White House has set records for the rate of turnover among its staff, and another president might have tried to steady the ship and opted against a further change.